5 Top Nutrition Tips for Your Life
March is National Nutrition Month, so we wanted to kick it off by sharing our top 5 nutrition tips for everyday life. No drastic changes are necessary; just quick and easy things to keep in mind when nourishing your body!
Drink water. This is one of the most overused nutrition tips ever, but it really is a game changer. Water makes up 55-60% of our bodies, but most people will go days without drinking a enough water. Some easy ways to drink more water are to get a water bottle with a straw, invest in some hydration powder/tablets (flavor it) or drink a glass of water at every meal.
Eat a snack. Snacks are often underrated and the first thing to go when dieting. The truth is, snacks help fill the gap between meals when we are hungry for a quick bite but not hungry enough for a full meal. The best combo is to pair a protein with a carb to get the most out of your afternoon or mid-morning snack! Think combinations like apples and peanut butter, carrots and hummus, protein bar and a banana, etc. Snacks will help you feel less ravenous at meals and help you listen to your hunger cues.
The freezer is your friend. Freezing leftovers or meals for the week is a huge lifesaver. Instead of throwing away food that’s been rotting in your fridge for a week or eating soggy meal prep, place food that you didn’t finish (or aren’t eating right away) in the freezer and you’ll have easy things to grab and reheat during busy seasons. Freezing food keeps it fresh for a longer time and it tastes SO much better than when you store it in the fridge.
Try one new fruit/vegetable each week. About 95% of American adults and children don’t consume the recommended amounts of fiber (19-38 g/day). Keep an eye out for sales on fruits and veggies and incorporate them into your weekly grocery shop or grocery delivery.
Say no to nixing food groups. Usually, carbohydrates and fats are the first thing to go when people are looking to lose weight. Fats, however, are what keep us satiated longer. And, they benefit our hearts! Avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish are great sources of unsaturated fatty acids that help improve our HDL-cholesterol levels. Carbohydrates are our bodies’ main source of energy and also keep us full for longer. If you try to cut out macronutrients, the cravings for those macros often get more and more intense. Having a balanced plate with all of the food groups should always be the goal.
If you are looking to improve your nutritional habits and aren’t sure where to start, we can help! As registered dietitians, we are educated and trained (and excited!) to help you on your journey.
Written by Trinny Duncan, Student Intern and Peggy Pratt, PhD, RDN, LDN, CEDS-C
Quagliani, D., & Felt-Gunderson, P. (2016). Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(1), 80–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827615588079